Week 7: Buck's Ramayana (pp. 325-432)

Assignments - Reading Guide A - Reading Guide B - Ramayana Resources


Reading Guide: A

Your Reading A for this week is Buck's Ramayana, pp. 325-373. You might want to read over the previous reading guide to remind yourself of what has happened so far.


p. 326. Malyavan and Śiva. Malyavan goes to Trikuta Hill where he meets Śiva. Long ago, Śiva had rescued the abandoned baby Sukesa, Malyavan's father. Śiva takes Malyavan away from the coming battle in Lanka.

p. 329. Battling demons. Jambavan is ruthless in fighting the demons. The demon magicians Lightning Tongue and Thunder Tooth try to stop Jambavan, but they are killed by Hanuman and Sugriva. Śuka tells Ravana about the feeling of despair felt throughout Lanka. Ravana sends Śuka with a message to Rama. Mandodari tells Ravana she loves him.

p. 334 Ravana prepares. Ravana dances under the stars and causes a wind storm. Time comes to Ravana and threatens him, but Ravana scoffs at Time. Ravana, with his many hands, needs no charioteer. Rama has the divine Matali as his charioteer, sent to him by Indra.

p. 342 The final battle. Rama cuts off Ravana's heads but they grow back. The warriors use weapons, mantras, and astras. A blow of Ravana's mace knocks Matali from the chariot, but Rama is able to revive him. Rama and Ravana then face each other on foot. Ravana manifests himself as Indra, which paralyzes Rama but Matali sees through the disguise. Rama slays Ravana.

p. 349. Ravana is dead. After Ravana's death, Śuka arrives with the letter from Ravana to Rama (this something that Buck has invented for his version of the story; it is not in Valmiki's Ramayana). Ravana addresses Rama as Vishnu (Narayana) and urges him to take Sita back. Rama sends Hanuman to tell Sita about the victory. Vibhishana makes plans for Ravana's funeral, and Rama makes Vibhishana king of Lanka. Mandodari weeps when she sees Ravana's corpse, and her father Maya consoles her.

p. 361. Sita. Hanuman finds Sita dressed in royal garments. He brings her the jewelry she had been given by Guha and by Anasuya. Rama orders Vibhishana to bring Sita in to the assembly. The fire god Agni appears by Sita and testifies to her innocence. Sita puts Rama's ring on his finger (this is the ring Hanuman had brought to her as a token of Rama).

p. 367 Leaving Lanka. Vibhishana shows Hanuman a secret room filled with precious goods, putting great trust in Hanuman. From Vibhishana, Hanuman learns the Mantras of Compassion which restore life. The end of his exile is near, and Rama must return home in time to save Bharata from his vow to kill himself if Rama did not return at the designated time. Vibhishana offers Rama the use of Pushpaka for his return journey home. Vibhishana decides to attend Rama's coronation, as do Hanuman and Jambavan. Millions of monkeys and bears fly with them towards in the Pushpaka chariot.


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